


Forgotten First Meeting

by ZoneRobotnik



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Child Abuse, Gen, Memory Alteration, Moon Powers Varian (Disney), Poor little Varian gets in such trouble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25602073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoneRobotnik/pseuds/ZoneRobotnik
Summary: When Varian was ten years old, he was taken to a tower and met a girl, but he doesn't remember it.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 105





	Forgotten First Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Tangled (c) Disney  
> Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (c) Disney

He didn’t mean to mess things up. He was trying to help. He really thought it would help, he must’ve made some kind of mistake. He didn’t mean to ruin the carrot patch, really, he didn’t. He thought it would help. Where had he messed up _this_ time?  
  
Varian Ruddiger, the small son of the mayor of Old Corona, fled through the wounds holding his broken arm as a man angrily shouted after him, waving his cane aggressively.  
  
His cheek stung, his head hurt, his legs were sore, his arm…he couldn’t move it, and it hurt so much. He could barely see through the tears and a sore eye that couldn’t open properly anymore as he fled into the dark forest, letting out whimpers and sobs. He heard some more shouting, someone calling his name, but he just ran on. He ran and ran until he saw something, a cave(?), and darted into it.  
  
It was a tunnel, he realized once inside. The vines covered his presence and he heard the old farmer angrily yelling as he ran by, calling for him.  
  
He looked out past the vines, his body trembling. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and gasped, turning to look behind him fearfully. The woman standing behind him let out a soft gasp, taking in his appearance.  
  


“Ol’ ‘ady Godel.” He said, feeling a bit relieved to see her. “Old Lady Gothel”, or rather just “Gothel” had been a frequent night guest at his home as of late and he knew he could trust her to not hurt him.  
  
“Varian…what happened to you?” She asked, kneeling to gently cup his swollen cheek in her hand. “Who _did_ this to you?”  
  
He looked to the side, tears slipping down his young cheeks. “I-I din’ mean do…I did’ mean do gause drouble.”  
  
“Was it your alchemy?” She asked kindly.  
  
He nodded, then looked at her. “’m zorry…”  
  
“You’re only a child, this isn’t…this is unacceptable. Where is your father?” She looked past the vines.  
  
“Gapidal.” He replied.  
  
She looked back at him. “…Of course, he is. Alright.” She lifted the small boy into her arms and carried him through the tunnel. “Let’s get your wounds tended to, hm?”  
  
He nodded and she walked up to the tower beyond the tunnel. He looked around in awe and curiosity as she called up “Rapunzel! Let down your hair!”  
  
A long yellow rope came down and Varian realized, upon touching it, that it was _hair_. Gothel wrapped it around them with one hand, the other arm holding him while her hand held onto a covered basket. She tugged on the hair and they were slowly pulled up.  
  
“Welcome back, mother!” A teenage girl said, then gasped when she saw Varian in Gothel’s arms. “Mother, what is _that_?”  
  
“This?” She stepped down and the girl hurriedly pulled her hair back in. “It’s cake.” She took the basket into her other hand and set it down on a table before going to put Varian on a chair. “Wait here, don’t move.”  
  
“I meant this… _other_ thing.” The girl said as she watched her mother get out the first-aid kit.  
  
“This may take some other measures.” She murmured, putting the kit away. “ _This_ , Rapunzel, is a boy. Varian, close your eyes.”  
  
He nodded and closed his eyes. He felt something be wrapped around him like a scarf, around and around until he was completely wrapped up. “Gan I oben ‘em ‘ow?  
  
“No, Varian. Keep your eyes closed until I tell you can open them.” Gothel said calmly.  
  
“Obay…”  
  
He obediently kept his eyes closed, even as he heard Gothel speaking to the teenager.  
  
“Now, Rapunzel.”  
  
“Yes, Mother.”  
  
“ _Flower, gleam and glow.”  
  
_ He could hear the girl singing.  
  
“ _Let your power shine._ ” _  
  
_A golden light started to shine through his closed eyelids, and then a blue one joined it.  
  
“ _Make the clock reverse,_ ”  
  
The pain was fading. His arm, which had been wrapped in a sling, started to mend itself. It was like he’d never been hurt at all.  
  
“ _Bring back what once was mine_.”  
  
The glow was still shining beyond his eyelids, both colors, and he wanted to open his eyes to see what was happening but she’d told him to keep them closed.  
  
“ _What once was mine._ ”  
  
The singing finished, and then he felt his head be uncovered. “Can I open them now?” He asked.  
  
“…Uh…” Gothel sounded surprised, shocked, confused. “No, dear. Keep them closed until I say you can open them.”  
  
“Okay.” He nodded.  
  
“Mother, what…?” He heard the girl ask.  
  
“Shh, go to your room, Rapunzel.”  
  
“But—”  
  
“Now.”  
  
“Yes, mother.”  
  
He heard light steps walking away and then Gothel was running her hands through his hair furtively before finally just resting one on his head. “Well. This is…a development.”  
  
That blue glow was still there, though the golden glow was gone.  
  
“Am I…in trouble?” He asked.  
  
“No, Varian, you’re not in trouble. I just need to have a little talk with your father, when is he due back?”  
  
“Sunset.” He felt her hand leave his head. “Can I open my eyes now?”  
  
“Uhm…not yet.” She said, and he heard some rustling around. “I should have…ah.” He felt something get draped over his head and fastened on. “Well…that…did nothing.”  
  
Varian rubbed at his eyes and then the glow finally faded away. Gothel let out a soft sigh and removed whatever was on his head. “Now you can open them.”  
  
He opened his eyes, looking at her with confusion. “What was all _that_ about?”  
  
“Don’t worry about it, it’s over now.” She assured him. “Here, why don’t you play with a puzzle I have while I talk to Rapunzel?”  
  
“Okay.” He nodded. She directed him to a table and got out a box, which Varian opened before he started to put the puzzle together. She nodded and headed up some stairs and he looked over curiously as he heard voices speaking. He considered going up after them, but didn’t want to upset her and so went back to his puzzle.  
  
He was halfway done when they finally came down to join him again. “I’ll get lunch started.” Gothel said, walking over to the kitchen area.  
  
The girl, “Rapunzel”, sat down next to Varian, her eyes widen and intent. He scooted to the side a bit and looked at her. “…Hi?”  
  
“Mother tells me that you’re a ‘boy’.” She said eagerly. “And that you don’t have pointy teeth yet.”  
  
“Uhm…no.” He opened his mouth. “I have big teeth in front, though.” He pointed to his buck teeth and then closed his mouth.  
  
“How old are you?” She asked curiously.  
  
“Ten.” He looked back at his puzzle and went back to putting it together.  
  
“I’m fourteen.” She scooted a bit closer. “I’ve never seen a ‘boy’ before.”  
  
He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “Are you…okay? You seem a bit…”  
  
“Hm?” She leaned in.  
  
“Uhm…” He drew a spiral in the air next to his head.  
  
“I don’t know what that means.” She admitted.  
  
“Probably for the best.” He shrugged.  
  
“Does it mean ‘happy’?” She asked.  
  
“Uh, kind of?” He said awkwardly before going back to his puzzle.  
  
“Then, I am _very_ happy!” She hugged him and he yelped in alarm. “I met my first Boy today!”  
  
He squirmed out of her hold and she hold on tighter. “Gothel!”  
  
“Let him go, Rapunzel.” She said, not looking up from preparing the food.  
  
“Yes, Mother.” She released him and he adjusted the strap of his apron. “I’m just…so excited! I never meet people.”  
  
“Why not?” He looked at her.  
  
“Oh, uh…well…” She gripped her hair.  
  
He looked at her hair, then followed its full length to around the room. “…You ever think about getting a haircut?”  
  
“Ah, that’s not allowed. I mean, it’d be bad.” Rapunzel shook her head.  
  
“Okay, how about a braid?” Varian raised an eyebrow.  
  
“A what?” She blinked.  
  
Gothel looked over at them, but didn’t say anything.  
  
“You mean to tell me that you have _all this hair_ , and you’ve never styled it?” He asked in disbelief.  
  
She just tilted her head curiously.  
  
He sighed. “Okay.” He got up and motioned for her to turn around. She did so and he started to slip his gloved hands into her hair, carefully parting it into sections. “I did this for my mom before. Once.”  
  
“Why only once?” She asked.  
  
“Well, she left. It was kind of messy, but I’ve been practicing with braiding rope since. I know it’s not quite the same, but…” He started to braid the three sections together. “Left, then right, then left, then right, over and over and over…”  
  
She patiently let him do it, even when he had to move off the seat and continue down the length of her hair. Gothel looked back at her cooking but kept an eye on him all the same as he continued. Finally, he finished at the bottom, then tied it off with a hairband he kept in his apron and carried the braid over. “Now, we’re going to go for a bun. A nice, braided bun.”  
  
She giggled as he started messing with the braid, trying to wrap it around itself. “Hm.” He dropped it and crossed his arms over his chest. “I think I need hairpins. And more ponytail holders. Or maybe a ribbon?”  
  
“Oh!” She got up and headed up the stairs, her long braid trailing behind her.  
  
“A bun isn’t necessary, it’s already fine as it is.” Gothel informed them.  
  
“Oh, okay.” Rapunzel came back down and went back to Varian. “What’s your name again?”  
  
“I’m Varian.” He smiled.  
  
“Well, Varian, do you want to play chess?” She gestured to a chess board.  
  
“Okay.” He nodded, then turned to put his puzzle away.  
  
She helped him with that and then they went to go play chess together. “I’ll admit, it’s kind of weird having Mother here for lunch.” She whispered. “I mean, it’s _good_ , but I’ve just gotten so used to dining alone…”  
  
Varian shrugged and sat down across from her. “I’ll take white.” She said, picking up a pawn. “Do you know how to play?”  
  
“Yeah.” Varian nodded.  
  
“Okay, good! That saves us time.” She nodded, setting the pawn down forward a space.  
  
“Gothel taught me.” He picked up a pawn and moved it forward a space.  
  
“Mother did?” She asked curiously.  
  
“Mmhm.” He nodded.  
  
“Sooo…” She looked over at Gothel, then back at him. “Why does _your_ hair glow?”  
  
“Rapunzel!” Gothel snapped and Rapunzel winced.  
  
“…Glow?” He asked, confused.  
  
What was this crazy girl talking about?  
  
“N-Never mind. Uhm…my mistake.” She said sheepishly.  
  
He shrugged and the continued to play.  
  
“What’s a ‘father’?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
He blinked at her. “…You don’t know what a father is?”  
  
She shook her head.  
  
“It’s…it’s, uhm…” His brow furrowed. How was he supposed to explain to someone what a _father_ is? “Well, uh…it’s kind of a…mother, but it’s a man.”  
  
“Do they have pointy teeth?” Rapunzel asked anxiously.  
  
“Well, _mine_ doesn’t.” He shrugged.  
  
“Maybe that’s why you don’t.” She nodded.  
  
“Rapunzel, boys don’t have pointy teeth.” Gothel said calmly. “They are too young, and they haven’t had the evil of the world transform their bodies yet.”  
  
“Ohhh.” Rapunzel nodded, then took Varian’s hand. “I hope the evil of the world _never_ enters your body.”  
  
He stared at her in disbelief, then looked at Gothel with a “are you serious?” expression. “…Thanks.” He pulled his hand back.  
  
She beamed and then they continued playing.  
  
\--  
  
Gothel finished making food and called Rapunzel to set the table. Varian reset the chessboard and then went to go help her and then they sat at the table together as she served them both grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.  
  
“Thank you, Mother.” Rapunzel smiled.  
  
Varian quietly ate, looking over at the window every so often. Gothel served them both drinks and then rubbed Varian’s head, drawing his attention back to his food. “I’ll take you home to your father at sunset.” She told him.  
  
“I was hoping we could keep him…” Rapunzel admitted.  
  
“A boy is not something you can ‘keep’, Rapunzel.” Gothel rolled her eyes. “He has to go back to his father.”  
  
“But, his father does have pointy teeth, right?” Rapunzel asked anxiously.  
  
“No, he does not. In fact, he is very kind and assists me at times. That’s how I know Varian.” She said calmly. “Now, finish your food and then you may have cake.”  
  
“I met my first Boy and got cake in the same day! This is so great!” Rapunzel said cheerfully. “It’s not even my birthday!” She paused. “Is it?”  
  
Varian shrugged.  
  
“No, I just saw some in town and thought you might like it.” She shook her head with a smile.  
  
After they finished eating, they got pieces of cake and Gothel went to another part of the tower.  
  
“You know…she’s not normally so nice.” Rapunzel said softly. “Usually, she’s commenting something about my, uh, appearance or something. She must be holding back for your sake.”  
  
“My dad does it, too. It’s their ‘visitor face’.” Varian nodded.  
  
She smiled. “Oh, good. And here I thought it was, you know…a bad thing. But it’s normal?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s normal.” He put his cake-covered form in his mouth.  
  
“Uhm, I have a secret I want to tell you.” She whispered.  
  
“Mm?” He looked up at her.  
  
“After we eat.” She grinned.  
  
“Okay.” He focused on his food.  
  
He hummed happily, then looked around, probably wondering where her mother disappeared to. They finished their food and Rapunzel washed the dishes before they went up the stairs together.  
  
“Okay, I’m trusting you to not tell _anyone_ about this.” She said, pushing aside the curtain and stepping into the room. Varian followed behind her, looking around curiously. “Okay…” She went to climb onto the bed. “Pascal?”  
  
Varian gasped and climbed onto the bed as a chameleon become visible. “Oh, hello!”  
  
The lizard hid again and Rapunzel giggled. “Pascal, it’s okay. He’s nice.” She coaxed. “This is Varian. He’s a Boy.”  
  
Pascal become visible again and slowly crawled towards him, tilting his head as he looked up at Varian with wide, amber eyes. Varian curled up on the bed and put down his hand for the lizard to climb onto. “Hey.” He said softly.  
  
Pascal climbed on and then up his arm to rest on his shoulder and nuzzle him. Varian giggled and smiled at Rapunzel. “Why do you keep him a secret?”  
  
“I don’t know if Mother would let me keep him and I’m afraid to ask.” Rapunzel admitted.  
  
“Mm, she might not like lizards.” Varian nodded. “Well, I think he’s cool.” He gently cupped his gloves hand around the chameleon and set him down again. “I don’t have a pet.”  
  
“Well, he’s more than just a pet.” She smiled sadly. “He’s also my…my only friend. Well, until you.” She smiled brightly. “I bet Mother would be okay with you visiting me here!”  
  
“Maybe.” He smiled.  
  
She got up and went to look out, then looked back at him. “There’s another secret.” She walked over and sat next to him. “I have magical hair that _glows_ when I _sing_.”  
  
He blinked. “Magic? Not real.”  
  
“Wanna bet?” She grinned. “I healed your wounds.”  
  
He looked at his previously-broken arm. “…Oh. You did, huh?”  
  
“Mmhm. Here, watch.” She closed her eyes and started to softly sing, as if she didn’t want anyone to know she was doing it.  
  
“ _Flower, gleam and glow.  
Let your power shine.  
Make the clock reverse,  
Bring back what once was mine.  
What once was mine._”  
  
When she finished, she opened her eyes, gasping softly when she looked at him. Yes, her hair was glowing…but so was Varian’s.  
  
“…What in the world?” He reached up to touch the stripe of glowing blue in his hair. “It’s never done this before…before _today_.” He gasped. “ _This_ must be why she said for me to keep my eyes closed.”  
  
“Why is it doing that, though?” Rapunzel asked, watching as both their hair slowly stopped glowing. “Huh. Weird. It’s almost like a…a mirror.”  
  
“A mirror?” He asked curiously.  
  
“Yeah. Like it’s mirroring what _my_ hair is doing.” She poked at the stripe in his hair.  
  
“Why does your hair glow?” He asked.  
  
“Uhm…I have the healing powers of the Sundrop Flower. I mean, I _am_ the Sundrop Flower, so…” She poked at his hair a bit more. “Why does only _this_ part glow?”  
  
“Maybe I need my _own_ song to make the rest glow.” Varian shrugged.  
  
“ _What_ are you two _doing_!?”  
  
They both jolted and looked towards the curtain with matching guilty expressions. Gothel looked like she was going to have a heart attack. “Rapunzel,” She walked over and gently pulled Varian off the bed. “I told you _not_ to tell him.”  
  
“Why _not_?” Rapunzel asked.  
  
“Yeah, why _not_?” Varian argued.  
  
“If your father wanted you to know, he would have told you before.” She said, pulling him to the curtain. “Come, it’s almost sunset.”  
  
“But—”  
  
“Here, why don’t you drink this?” She offered him a cup.  
  
He blinked and took a sniff. Juice, it seemed like. Nodding, he drank it and then handed back the empty cup. Gothel nodded and took him downstairs to wait for the sun to set.  
  
Varian barely made it to the bottom of the stairs before he slumped against her sleepily and dozed off as soon as she put him down in a chair.  
  
Rapunzel sighed and sat at the top of the stairs.  
  
\--  
  
Gothel sighed and poured another drink. “Rapunzel, come and drink this.”  
  
“Yes, Mother.” She came down and picked it up, ever the trusting one. As soon as she finished the juice, the sleeping draught begin to kick in and she was out like a light a few minutes later.  
  
She walked over the window and draped Rapunzel’s hair out, frowning at the man down at the bottom of the tower. “You should really see about a babysitter. And you’re _late_.”  
  
The man ignored the hair and climbed up the tower without touching it, climbing in. She tried not to be too impressed, but she couldn’t help it.  
  
“Truly, you are of the Brotherhood, Quirin.” She praised.  
  
He rolled his eyes. “You said it was urgent?”  
  
“Yes.” She pulled Rapunzel’s braided hair back in and closed the window behind him. “How long have you known that your son was the Moonstone?”  
  
“How did you find out?” He turned to her.  
  
“Take a _guess_.” She gestured to Rapunzel. “When she was using her powers, his hair started to glow _blue_.”  
  
He pursed his lips. “…The missing Princess. Of course. I don’t know how I didn’t even _think_ that I was harboring a _kidnapper_ all this time.”  
  
“I have something to make him forget. I can make them _both_ forget about this _entire_ day.” He informed him. “But, I will only _use_ it if you swear to keep my secret, as _I_ will keep _yours_.”  
  
He clenched his fists. “Her father is my _friend_ …”  
  
“And what would happen if your _son_ was discovered?” She questioned.  
  
He looked towards Varian, fast asleep in the chair. “…Varian…” He walked over and cupped his cheek. “Why did she use her healing powers?”  
  
“Because you have a very cruel farmer. I could point him out.” She said calmly.  
  
“…I will find out on my own.” He turned to her. “Not a word to him, to _anyone_ about his powers.”  
  
“And not a word to the King or _anyone_ about my Flower.” She said calmly.  
  
“It’s a Devil’s bargain…but one I must take.” He walked towards her, removing his glove and holding out his left hand. “A Deal with a Disciple.”  
  
She smiled and took his hand, her eyes glowing green as her voice echoed. “Do you, Quirin of the Dark Kingdom, swear to _absolute secrecy_ to protect your son?”  
  
“I swear.” He replied. A green flame engulfed their hands and his eyes flashed green briefly before the flame vanished and their hands moved apart.  
  
“Very well. I will now take care of their memories.” She walked off to another part of the tower. She returned shortly with a book. “Oh, don’t look so _glum_ , Quirin.”  
  
He silently glared at her, gently stroking Varian’s hair. “I can’t believe what you’ve forced me to do.”  
  
“I forced _nothing_. You _chose_ to make the Deal.” She walked over to Varian and Quirin stepped back. “It is for the best that the sun and moon do not meet, you _know_ this.”  
  
“ _You_ are the one that _arranged_ it.” Quirin said coolly.  
  
“Ah but, dear knight, I did not _know_.” She smiled at him. “I only helped a boy that I have grown fond of after one of your _beloved townsfolk_ decided to brutally beat a child.”  
  
He closed his eyes. “Just…get it over with, so I can take him home.”  
  
She nodded, then started to chant in a strange language, Varian’s body glowing green as she spoke. Then she walked over and did the same to Rapunzel.  
  
“There.” She closed the book and then started to undo Rapunzel’s braid. “It _never_ happened.”  
  
Quirin lifted Varian into his arms and went to open the window, shifting him in his grip. She rolled her eyes and brought over Rapunzel’s unbraided hair, staring at him pointedly. He grunted and accepted the hair, letting her carefully lower him to the ground.  
  
“I will see you tomorrow, then.” She smiled slyly.  
  
He sighed. “As always.” He reached the bottom and then walked off, holding Varian close to him.  
  
She watched him go down, then lifted Rapunzel into her arms and carried her up to bed. Once she was tucked in, she went around erasing any evidence Varian had been here.  
  
By the time she was done, she was confident that there was no sign of anyone but Rapunzel and herself ever having been here.  
  
She walked off to put the book away, unaware of amber eyes that watched her every move.  
  
End

**Author's Note:**

> Varian and Rapunzel will not remember any of that day.  
> Pascal, however...?


End file.
